7 in 10 TV Viewers Stream Programing

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In a study that is likely to shock the old GM in the corner office, only half of millennials use TVs as their primary viewing platform.

 The kids are using laptops, tablets, and smartphones as their just for TV. 

“Our study confirms that the paradigm for TV content discovery has changed dramatically with increased availability and use of TV content streaming options,” said NATPE President & CEO Rod Perth. “With more than seven in 10 viewers in broadband households having streamed full-length TV programs in the past six months, there are opportunities for networks and content producers to reach and build audiences.”

“While the vast majority of consumers continue to watch television programming on their TV, many consumers, particularly millennials, increasingly are turning to a variety of devices to view their TV content,” said CEA President and CEO Gary Shapiro. “This has profound implications for the way CE manufacturers market their products as they try to reach diverse markets.”

Although many viewers of streaming programs say they are watching more TV programs overall, the joint study shows a decline in the amount of time spent watching live television programs during their scheduled air time. This is particularly true of the younger, millennial demographic which has some distinctive, common characteristics, including the regular use of multiple sources of program content.

In other words, if your station isn't streaming your newscast and making it available to watch anytime, you're living in the past.

H/T B&C

Chris Hanson Returns to TV

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Former "Dateline NBC" correspondent Chris Hansen, best known for his provocative hidden camera investigation series "To Catch A Predator," is returning to television.

Hanson left NBC after he was caught having an affair.

Now, he returns on the Discovery Channel to a true crime show. Hansen will host a six-part series called "Killer Instinct with Chris Hansen."

Debuting this summer, the series will send Hansen out in the field to provide in-depth reporting on what Investigation Discovery calls “some of America’s most horrific crimes.”

In a statement, Henry Schlieff, group president of Investigation Discovery, described the show as “an investigative newsmagazine that will draw the viewer in and make them feel as if they are right there in the moment.” 

Hanson has been off the air since August 2013, when NBC cut their ties with him.

H/T LA Times

Covering the Cold in Connecticut

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Today was one of those days, where Reporters bundle up, head outside and then tell viewers, "stay inside, it's bitterly cold out here."

Here is how come of the Reporters covering the cold in Connecticut dressed for their live shots.

Audrey Washington seems to be the most bundled up, while Brian Spyros and Mike Magnoli didn't listen to their Moms advice when she said "PUT ON A HAT!"

Merging News Operations in Florida?

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Tim Geraghty is out as News Director at News 13 in Orlando. The cable news outlet appears to be taking steps to merge with Bay News 9 in Tampa.

With Geraghty out the door, News 13 will now be overseen by Bay News 9 ND Mike Gautreau, who will run both operations. 

Rumors of the two operations merging have been swrilling for quite a while, this seems to be a step in that direction.

And all hands on deck meeting has been called for Friday as the suits will discuss reorganization plans.

They sent this internal memo to the staff:

To The Local Programming Group Team:

Since January, 2014 I have shared with you my goals for the Local Programming Group: teamwork, innovation and new product development. Throughout the past year, in small groups and individual conversations, I have appreciated listening to why you enjoy working for Bright House Networks and your suggestions on how to improve our workflow, communication and products.  Thank-you for your feedback.  I plan to continue meeting and listening in 2015.

Today I am announcing organizational changes that will strengthen and streamline our “One Team” culture within the Local Programming Group, including but not limited to, our two 24-hour local news channels, our regional sports and Spanish channels, and our online, mobile and on-demand services.  Effective immediately: 

• Sr. Director of News, Mike Gautreau, will assume responsibility for the management of both the Bay News 9 and News 13 news departments. News Directors Ally Berger and Rudy Murrieta will report directly to Mike. Our InfoMás team will continue to report to Mike.

• Kate Fox’s title and responsibilities will change as she becomes Director of New Media. Kate will lead all daily management and long-term strategy for the emerging new media portfolio, including web sites, apps, Local Video on Demand and other new products that combine local content with non-linear digital technology. Digital Media Manager Melissa Calhoun will report directly to Kate Fox.  Web Content Editors will report to Melissa Calhoun.

• Our key support services for the core programming units will form one department. Finance, Engineering, Operations and Administration will be under the leadership of Rick Chattin. As he takes on these additional responsibilities, Rick will be promoted to Senior Director of Business and Operations.  Operations Managers, Colleen Jakubowski and Dietrich Covington, and Chief Engineers, Jerry Shields and Curtis Stanley, will report directly to Rick. The Business and Operations team will continue building a culture of outstanding internal customer service, planning and staff development, as well as technical and operational excellence.

• Barbara Burley and Paul Kosuth will continue to lead Local Programming Group Marketing and Bright House Sports Network, respectively.

Mike, Kate, Paul, Barbara and Rick will continue to report directly to me.

These changes are intended to enhance our contribution to Bright House Networks as an exclusive offering designed to retain customers and enhance our reputation of journalistic excellence in the Tampa Bay and Orlando markets. 

Steve Weitekamp and Tim Geraghty will leave the company.  I want to thank them for their contributions to Bright House Networks’ success and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

Thank-you for your ongoing support, feedback and ideas that enable us to continually improve the Local Programming Group.

Alan Mason
Corporate Vice-President of Local Programming
Bright House Networks

Reporter Sues Man for Attacking Him with His Own Tripod

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Back on July 8th, FTVLive told you that WCHS (Charleston) Reporter/Photographer Bob Aaron was attacked by a guy that grabbed his tripod and used it against him.

Now Aaron is suing the guy over the attack. 

Aaron says he received a tip about a potential story regarding neglected mules and horses, so he went out to investigate the story.

Aaron pulled his vehicle over to the side of the road and set up his tripod and camera on the public road to take footage of the scene.

While he was taking footage on the public roadway, Howard J. Lilly charged him, shouting for him to stop filming and to “head down the road,” according to the suit.

Aaron claims he informed Lilly that he was on a public road and would leave once he had finished with the video.

Lilly then “violently grabbed plaintiff’s camera equipment and began to try and take the camera and tripod.”

Aaron claims he was able to retrieve the camera so that it would not fall to the ground, but was unable to stop Lilly from grabbing the tripod.

Lilly then took the tripod and began swinging it to strike Aaron and struck him more than once, causing serious injury, according to the suit.

Aaron claims the lens of the camera was completely destroyed, however, prior to it being destroyed, it was able to record much of the altercation.

After the defendant stopped swinging the tripod, Aaron was able to retreat to his vehicle, with the camera, but Lilly kept the tripod, according to the suit.

Aaron is seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest.

H/T The West Virginia Record

First before Facts for NBC News in Paris Shooting Story

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NBC News had a big exclusive yesterday when Pete Williams reported that was shootout with police near Paris and that one suspect in the Paris mass shooting from earlier in the day was killed and two others were taken into custody.

It was a big scoop, NBC even sent out a mobile alert to viewers and Pete Williams was all over NBC and MSNBC with his breaking news.

But soon word came that the story was false.

NBC was first, but the facts were wrong. 

NBC started backtracking from the story and came up with their excuse:

“NBC News issued an earlier report based on intelligence from two consistently reliable U.S. counterterrorism officials in different government agencies. As soon as it became evident that our sources doubted their information, we immediately updated our reporting across all platforms and continue to do so as this fast-moving story unfolds.”

"Fast moving story"....maybe NBC needs to slow down and get the facts before reporting the news.

Just saying..... 

H/T TVNewser

Hey NBC...How About Some Disclosure?

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NBC News correspondent Maria Shriver thinks that the new movie “Still Alice” is important and compelling. Indeed, the Alzheimer’s-themed film, she reported Tuesday on “NBC Nightly News,” could do for Alzheimer’s patients what the Oscar-winning “Philadelphia” did for people living with AIDS.

But what Shriver and NBC News did not tell you is that she is one of the movie's Executive Producers.

How the hell let's the Movie's EP report on her own movie is beyond us.

NBC anchor Brian Williams introduced Shriver’s two-minute report by saying that the new film “will make a lot of people think, and it may scare a lot of families” about Alzheimer’s, a deadly disease. He added, “There’s already talk of an Oscar nomination for its star, Julianne Moore.”

Williams disclosed that the movie “is something of a passion project for one of its producers,” Shriver, whose father, Sargent Shriver, died from the disease. But neither he nor Shriver disclosed any potential financial interest for Shriver; executive producers typically help arrange financing for a movie and share in any profits.

Shame on NBC and Shriver for not disclosing this.

Another black eye for the Peacock.

H/T Washington Post

TV Chef: I Did Not Cheat with Matt Lauer

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The Matt Lauer is cheating on his wife stories have been going on for years and years.

Today, Page Six brings another woman to the Matt Lauer Mistress party. The gossiper writes that Giada De Laurentiis is firing back at rumors she was romantically involved with several men — including the “Today” show’s Matt Lauer — before announcing her divorce from fashion designer husband Todd Thompson.

The TV chef responded to a story in Star magazine that she had a flirty interlude in 2011 with the married Lauer in Barbados, where he was filming a “Where in the World is Matt Lauer?” segment.

A source told Star, “It was almost uncomfortable, together in the ocean in bathing suits, like high school sweethearts.”

Page Six reported in November 2013 that the two had a “very cozy” dinner alone at Park Avenue Autumn, which their reps said was a business dinner. We also reported the Food Network star was at a festive dinner with Bobby Flay two days before she announced her divorce on Dec. 29.

But Giada responded Wednesday, “My long-time friendships with my co-workers Matt Lauer and Bobby Flay are exactly that — long-time friendships.”

A “Today” rep told us of the Lauer report, “This story is false, period.”

Those Goofy Kids

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Anyone that has kids know that they will do just about anything to get out of going to school.

Some kid in Atlanta figured out a way to fool at least a few people. The kid find an old tweet from WSB in Atlanta saying that Fulton County School was closed tomorrow, so the kid retweeted it.

No one checks the dates on a retweet and it was retweeted again and again. WSB tried to set the record straight, but we're betting there are least a few parents that are falling for this.

Well played kids...well played.

Fox News Claims Dish Network has Lost 90,000 Subscribers

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As Dish Network and Fox News continue their retransmission pissing match, FNC is claiming that 90,000 subscribers have ditched dish and moved elsewhere.

Tim Carry, executive vice president of distribution for FNC and FBN, estimated that Dish has lost some 90,000 subscribers since the channels were removed from the provider's 14 million subscribers late on Dec. 20.  

He bases the total on the number of viewers that have reached out to the www.keepfoxnews.com website and 888-numbers, and others that have contacted Dish directly. So it's a good bet that that 90,000 number is lower.

Carry said that a combined 350,000 have called about or visited the section of the Fox website providing a list of alternative providers in the viewers’ area. He said the numbers began picking up on Dec. 26, after the Christmas holiday. 

Dish did announce this week that they would start offering a streaming service for about $20 a month.

If that streaming service includes the Golf Channel, Dish will pick up at least one brand new subscriber.

Me!

H/T MultiChannel News

Great Last Quarter for CBS's Sunday Morning

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Longtime staple, CBS's Sunday Morning had a record 4th quarter in the ratings.

The show hosted by Charles Osgood  posted its largest fourth quarter audience since the 1987 advent of people meters and remained the #1 Sunday morning news program with viewers and adults 25-54, according to Nielsen’s most current ratings.

For the fourth quarter 2014, Sunday Morning averaged 5.96 million viewers and a 1.4/07 with adults 25-54, the demographic that matters most to those who advertise in news. Compared to the same period in 2013, CBS SUNDAY MORNING was up +2% in viewers (from 5.83m) and even in adults 25-54.

The show finished the fourth quarter on Dec. 28 with a broadcast watched by 6.03 million viewers and earned a 1.2/07 in adults 25-54, according to Nielsen live plus same day ratings. It was the #1 Sunday morning news program in viewers and adults 25-54.